Replay could be heading to central location, eventuallyPosted by Mike Florio on December 8, 2013, 8:03 PM EST

With the NFL’s officiating function under siege, a key change could be looming.

Per a league source with knowledge of the situation, the Competition Committee’s annual offseason discussions regarding officiating have in recent years included a conversation about removing the instant replay function from the game site and transferring it to a central location — presumably to the league office in New York City.

That possibility is expected to be on the offseason agenda once again.

Peter King of TheMMQB.com explained during Football Night in America that, apart from a desire to avoid the kind of head-scratching decision made by referee Jeff Triplette in Cincinnati on Sunday, the move would help trim the total time of NFL games.

We made that case back in January of 2012. Plenty of time currently is wasted with the dog-and-pony show that currently unfolds on the playing field, with the referee trotting to the sideline, donning the Dukakis-in-the-tank headset, talking to the guys upstairs before the replays are shown, getting under the hood to watch the various replays, emerging from the mobile booth to have more discussions, determining the precise ball placement if necessary, informing one or both coaches about the decision, trotting back to the field, and explaining the outcome to the rest of the world.

The mistake made Sunday by Triplette, who overturned a call on the field of no touchdown without indisputable visual evidence, resulted in a five-minute, 13-second gap between the end of the play to the announcement from Triplette.

With the average length of games currently at three hours and eight minutes for 2013 (according to King), centralizing replay would streamline it.

Besides, if the referees are going to continue to apply the wrong standard to the replay function, substituting their own judgment for the question of whether indisputable visual evidence exists to overturn the ruling on the field, the referees have no business juggling that role with everything else they do during a game. It’s far better to export the function to the league office, like the NHL already does.

I've been wanting to see the NFL do this since I've seen how well it works for the NFL. Buzz the on field ref if extra time is needed. Get it right the first time. Limit the number of peeps involved in the process. The on field officials have enough to do, let them focus on that.

Replay could be heading to central location, eventuallyPosted by Mike Florio on December 8, 2013, 8:03 PM EST

With the NFL’s officiating function under siege, a key change could be looming.

Per a league source with knowledge of the situation, the Competition Committee’s annual offseason discussions regarding officiating have in recent years included a conversation about removing the instant replay function from the game site and transferring it to a central location — presumably to the league office in New York City.

That possibility is expected to be on the offseason agenda once again.

Peter King of TheMMQB.com explained during Football Night in America that, apart from a desire to avoid the kind of head-scratching decision made by referee Jeff Triplette in Cincinnati on Sunday, the move would help trim the total time of NFL games.

We made that case back in January of 2012. Plenty of time currently is wasted with the dog-and-pony show that currently unfolds on the playing field, with the referee trotting to the sideline, donning the Dukakis-in-the-tank headset, talking to the guys upstairs before the replays are shown, getting under the hood to watch the various replays, emerging from the mobile booth to have more discussions, determining the precise ball placement if necessary, informing one or both coaches about the decision, trotting back to the field, and explaining the outcome to the rest of the world.

The mistake made Sunday by Triplette, who overturned a call on the field of no touchdown without indisputable visual evidence, resulted in a five-minute, 13-second gap between the end of the play to the announcement from Triplette.

With the average length of games currently at three hours and eight minutes for 2013 (according to King), centralizing replay would streamline it.

Besides, if the referees are going to continue to apply the wrong standard to the replay function, substituting their own judgment for the question of whether indisputable visual evidence exists to overturn the ruling on the field, the referees have no business juggling that role with everything else they do during a game. It’s far better to export the function to the league office, like the NHL already does.

I've been wanting to see the NFL do this since I've seen how well it works for the NFL. Buzz the on field ref if extra time is needed. Get it right the first time. Limit the number of peeps involved in the process. The on field officials have enough to do, let them focus on that.

I agree completely. Plus, with the way the system is currently set up, the officials on the field have to essentially overrule themselves. It's human nature to not want to overrule your first impression. Much less stand in front of a large crowd and admit you screwed up. It's much easier to just announce someone else's assessment.

This type of system works well in the NHL, and it works pretty well in college FB also. The NFL should go to this kind of system ASAP.

_________________"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence." - John Adams

“The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.” - Neil deGrasse Tyson

With this type of system, Bell's 2nd fumble is likely over turned due to the defense nearly ripping his head off on a facemask that went uncalled. Bell was still trying to figure out if his head was still attached when the ball came out.

With this type of system, Bell's 2nd fumble is likely over turned due to the defense nearly ripping his head off on a facemask that went uncalled. Bell was still trying to figure out if his head was still attached when the ball came out.

Sorry you're wrong about that. I'm watching the replay right now. Nobody comes anywhere near his face mask on that play. Here's 3 snapshots of that play:

This is the first contact a defender makes with him.Notice that the defender's arm is across Bell's chest, not touching his face mask at all.

Here is the hit that dislodges the ball.Notice nobody near his face mask.

Lastly, here he is going to the ground without the ball. Again, nobody touching his face mask.

You're thinking of his first fumble, but that wasn't a face mask either. Here's a snapshot of that play. It's hard to make out, but you can see that the defender does grab his helmet. But to me it looks like he grabbed the side of his helmet, not the face mask. As far as I know, that's not a penalty.

Sorry to be such a contrarian, but in this case there was no penalty that I can see.

_________________"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence." - John Adams

“The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.” - Neil deGrasse Tyson

December 9th, 2013, 2:43 pm

conversion02

RIP Killer

Joined: January 26th, 2005, 9:34 pmPosts: 10493Location: Sycamore, IL

Re: Replay could be heading to central location, eventually

He grabbed the opposite side of his helmet below the ear hole and damn near ripped his head off. That would be a penalty any day of the week just because of the absolute awkwardness that bell had after breaking the tackle.

Centralized replay could be coming as soon as 2014Posted by Mike Florio on December 15, 2013, 7:50 PM EST

Last Sunday night, Peter King of TheMMQB.com and I reported on Football Night in America that the league has been discussing centralized replay review, and that the discussions will continue.

The discussions are accelerating.

Per a league source, replay review could be removed from the stadiums and conducted in the league office as soon as 2014. “A lot of people hate” the current system, the source explained.

King explained on tonight’s FNIA that the gigantic Week 14 replay blunder from referee Jeff Triplette has given the possibility of centralized replay by 2014 added momentum. Triplette awarded the Bengals a touchdown, overturning a ruling on the field that BenJarvus Green-Ellis was down by contact short of the goal line. The NFL thereafter admitted that Triplette’s decision, which consumed five minutes and 13 seconds from end of play until announcement of the ruling, was incorrect.

The league has declined to comment on the timing for the possible implementation of centralized replay, but the NFL confirmed via email to PFT that officiating department employee Jay Reid traveled to the NHL’s Situation Room on November 30, as John Kryk of the Toronto Sun recently reported. The league also acknowledged that centralized replay review will continue to be discussed.

If at least 24 owners ultimately want to make the change, the change could be made at the league meetings in March, with a new system in place for the 2014 season.